The inventions relate to messaging methods and systems, and particular relate to methods and systems providing a subscriber of a messaging system with access to a messaging platform as selected by the subscriber.
A subscription to a messaging system provides a subscriber with a convenient way to send and receive communications. A messaging system may provide the subscriber with messaging services that allow the subscriber to send and receive communications such as voicemail messages, other messages such as data messages, and facsimile transmissions (faxes). The messaging services typically are provided to a subscriber through a messaging platform, which the subscriber may access through the use of an administrative number or pilot number. For example, a subscriber may use his or her telephone to dial the pilot number and access the messaging platform to retrieve, send, and/or forward messages, to makes changes to his or her preferences in receiving services, and for other reasons. A call to the pilot number may be referred to as a pilot call or an administrative call. The messaging platform serving the subscriber may be referred to as the subscription messaging platform. The subscriber""s line number served by the subscription messaging platform may be referred to as the subscription line number.
As a messaging system gains subscribers or otherwise expands, the system may add messaging platforms and distribute its subscribers among the platforms for messaging services. One of the problems that arises with the use of a plurality of messaging platforms is the manner in which access to the platforms is to be provided to the subscribers. With one platform, a single pilot number may be distributed to all of the subscribers for access to the platform because all of the administrative calls are handled by the same platform. But with a plurality of platforms, each respective group of subscribers served by a platform of the system typically has its administrative calls handled by its platform. Thus, a different pilot number may need to be distributed for each different messaging platform in the system. For example, a subscriber who is served by messaging platform xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d uses pilot number xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d for his or her administrative calls; a subscriber who is served by messaging platform xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d uses pilot number xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d for his or her administrative calls; etc.
But the use of multiple pilot numbers within a messaging system poses several problems and is inconvenient for the subscribers. A subscriber may have to memorize more than one pilot number if he or she is served by more than one messaging platform. For example, a subscriber may subscribe to messaging services such that calls to the subscriber""s home telephone number are served by messaging platform A, but calls to the subscriber""s office are served by messaging platform B. The subscriber has to remember to use pilot number A to retrieve his or her home telephone messages, and has to remember to use pilot number B to retrieve his or her office messages.
Another inconvenience of multiple pilot numbers is suffered by a subscriber when he or she changes his or her messaging services so as to be served by a different messaging platform. For example, a subscriber may move from one side of a city to the other, and in the course of the move, change messaging platforms. In that example, the subscriber has to memorize a new pilot number in addition to all the other new or changed information the subscriber has to memorize or otherwise retain as a result of the move.
As a result of the inconvenience to service providers as well as subscribers of messaging systems in the use of multiple pilot numbers, some messaging systems having a plurality of messaging platforms have implemented the use of a single or common pilot number. In these common pilot number messaging systems, each subscriber dials the same pilot number to reach his or her respective messaging platform. But the subscribers do not all reach the same platform or element even though they are all using the same pilot number. Rather, a trigger, flag, or other indicator may be set in the service switching point (SSP) (also referred to herein as xe2x80x9cswitchxe2x80x9d) serving the subscriber""s line number. As a result, a call from the subscriber""s line number that is received in its serving switch is routed to the messaging platform that has been assigned to that line number of the subscriber. In other words, some translation may occur in the switch or be obtained by the switch to route the call to the appropriate messaging platform. Once the call reaches the appropriate messaging platform, the subscription line number is used by the messaging platform to access the mailbox or other storage corresponding to the subscriber associated with the subscription line number.
The common pilot number messaging system generally avoids the problems discussed above in connection with the use of multiple pilot numbers. But the common pilot number messaging system has its own problems. One problem relates to a subscriber who uses the common pilot number in making an administrative call to the messaging system, but is not connected to the messaging platform which he or she desires. This problem is referred to herein as the xe2x80x9cunconnected subscriber problemxe2x80x9d. This problem may arise in a number of ways. For example, reference is made to the above-mentioned subscriber who subscribes to messaging services such that calls to the subscriber""s home telephone number are served by messaging platform A, but calls to the subscriber""s office are served by messaging platform B. Suppose this subscriber desires to retrieve messages made to his or her home telephone number while the subscriber is at his or her office. The subscriber dials the common pilot number, but the administrative call is connected to messaging platform B, which serves the subscriber""s office number. The subscriber is able to retrieve his or her office messages from messaging platform B, but not his or her home messages. Those home messages are located on a different messaging platform (messaging platform A) and are accessed from a different (home) telephone number.
Another situation in which the unconnected subscriber problem may arise is where two subscribers subscribe to the same messaging system, but each subscriber is served by a different messaging platform. Unfortunately, the subscribers are unable to use each other""s telephones to receive their respective messages. This situation is illustrated by reference to the characters and events in the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale. Assume a first subscriber (xe2x80x9cRedxe2x80x9d) is served by messaging platform A. Then assume Red""s grandmother (xe2x80x9cGrannyxe2x80x9d) is served by messaging platform B. While visiting Granny""s house, Red suspects that all is not well with Granny. Red decides to check her messages to see if any warning has been received from the friendly Woodcutter. But Red is unable to retrieve her messages from Granny""s house. Red""s call to the common pilot number on Granny""s subscription number is directed to Granny""s messaging platform. Thus, Red is unable to retrieve a warning (that a Wolf is posing as Granny) left on Red""s messaging platform by the Woodcutter.
Accordingly, there is a need in a common pilot number messaging system for solutions to the unconnected subscriber problem. There is a need for methods and/or systems to allow a subscriber to call a pilot number from a line number other than his or her subscription line number and still be able to receive messaging services from his or her subscription messaging platform or from a selected messaging platform.
Generally stated, the present inventions solve the unconnected subscriber problem of a pilot number messaging system. Exemplary methods and systems of the present inventions allow a subscriber to call a pilot number from a line number other than his or her subscription line number to receive messaging services from his or her subscription messaging platform or from a selected messaging platform.
An exemplary embodiment operates in a messaging system having functionally connected elements including two messaging platforms, a service switching point (SSP), and an intelligent network element (INE). The first of the two messaging platforms is designated as a particular messaging platform (PMP) of a particular subscriber. The PMP may be the subscription messaging platform providing the particular subscriber with messaging services. Alternatively, the PMP may be a messaging platform selected by the particular subscriber.
The second of the two messaging platforms serves a different subscriber who is served by the SSP so that calls made on a line number of the different subscriber to a pilot number are routed by the SSP to the second messaging platform.
For this example, assume the second messaging platform has been accessed by a call directed to a pilot number from the particular subscriber on the line number of the different subscriber. The pilot number may be a number common to all subscribers of the messaging system for making administrative or pilot calls to the messaging system. As a result of the call to the pilot number, the second messaging platform is designated as a visited messaging platform (VMP) with respect to the particular subscriber making the pilot call. This exemplary method allows the particular subscriber to access the PMP even though the particular subscriber made the call to the pilot number from the line number of the different subscriber served by the VMP.
Once connected to the VMP, the call is routed to the appropriate mailbox based on the line number of the different subscriber. An announcement of the identity or other information corresponding to the mailbox of the different subscriber may be made to the call. In addition, the announcement may include information on how to backout of the call such as by the caller providing an indicator for such backout. In this example, the particular subscriber, as the caller, provides an indicator such as a backout indicator with respect to the call at the VMP.
In response to receiving the indicator, the VMP provides a backout notice such as by sending a release message to the SSP serving the line number of the different subscriber. In response to the backout notice, the SSP obtains instructions with respect to the call from the INE. The instructions from the INE instruct the SSP to obtain a number from the particular subscriber. The particular subscriber may provide his or her subscription number as the number. Alternatively, the particular subscriber may provide another number as the number. The SSP obtains the number from the particular subscriber and provides the number to the INE.
In response to receiving the number, the INE determines which messaging platform serves the number as the PMP. The INE obtains an address of the PMP, and provides the SSP with further instructions including the address of the PMP. The further instructions may include a directive to the SSP to present the address of the SMP to the call. This presentation may be made by an announcement or by sending data for display on the equipment being used by the particular subscriber. In the alternative, or in addition, the further instructions may include a directive to use the address to route the call to the PMP as the subscription messaging platform (SMP). The SSP then follows the further instructions.
If the particular subscriber has only received a presentation of the address of the PMP, then the particular subscriber may take action to use the address to access the PMP. If the SSP has routed the call to the PMP, then the particular subscriber typically receives an announcement at the PMP with respect to the mailbox corresponding to the number the particular subscriber had provided. This announcement may identify the person or other entity associated with the mailbox the particular subscriber has reached. As before, this announcement may provide the particular subscriber with information on how to backout of the call. The particular subscriber may elect, once again, to exercise the option to backout of the call, and to have the call redirected to another network element.
Advantageously, the present inventions allow a subscriber to call a pilot number by using another subscriber""s equipment so that the subscriber conveniently may access his or her own messaging platform (to retrieve messages, etc.) or to access a messaging platform as selected by the subscriber.